Chemical Engineers Interview Questions & Answers

Chemical engineers apply a unique combination of the principles of biology, chemistry, physics, and math to solve problems that involve the use of fuel, materials, drugs, food, and many other products. They typically work in refineries, laboratories, or industrial plants.

Interviewers look for candidates who demonstrate ingenuity, excellent analytical and interpersonal skills, are creative, and are great at math and problem-solving.

In this blog, we discuss commonly asked interview questions during job interviews for chemical engineering positions. We also discuss the qualities that interviewers look for in successful candidates. In other words, we’re here to help you out!

Also, read more about frequently asked job interview questions here and check our job interview preparation checklist.

Skills Interviewers Look For In Successful Candidates

Below we discuss the skills that you can highlight in your answers to demonstrate that you’re qualified for the job.

Analytical skills

Why the interviewer is interested in your analytical skills:

Chemical engineers must troubleshoot designs that do not work as planned. They must ask the right questions and then find answers that work.

Creativity

Why the interviewer is interested in your creative-thinking skills:

Chemical engineers must explore new ways of applying engineering principles. They work to invent new materials, advanced manufacturing techniques, and new applications in chemical and biomedical engineering.

Learn more about creative-thinking interview questions and how to answer them!

Ingenuity

Why the interviewer is interested in your ingenuity:

Chemical engineers learn the broad concepts of chemical engineering, but their work requires them to apply those concepts to specific production problems.

Interpersonal skills

Why the interviewer is interested in your interpersonal skills:

Because their role is to put scientific principles into practice in manufacturing industries, chemical engineers must develop good working relationships with other workers involved in production processes.

Learn more about communication interview questions and how to answer them!

Math skills

Why the interviewer is interested in your math skills:

Chemical engineers use the principles of advanced math topics such as calculus for analysis, design, and troubleshooting in their work.

Problem-solving skills

Why the interviewer is interested in your problem-solving skills:

In designing equipment and processes for manufacturing, these engineers must be able to anticipate and identify problems, including such issues as workers’ safety and problems related to manufacturing and environmental protection.

Learn more about problem-solving interview questions and how to answer them!

(source: bls.gov)

Chemical Engineers Job Interview Questions & Answers

During a job interview, the hiring manager wants to discuss several things. Think of your:

• Employment history
• Skills and abilities
• Accomplishments
• Job qualifications
• Educational background
• Career goals
• Personality

Below you find a list of commonly asked interview questions.

Examples Of General Interview Questions

1. Tell me about yourself.
2. How would you describe yourself?
3. Why do you want to work here?
4. What interests you about this position?
5. Walk me through your resume.
6. What motivates you?
7. Why are you leaving your current job?
8. Describe your work ethic.
9. What is your greatest strength?
10. How does your experience qualify you for this job?
11. What is your greatest weakness?
12. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
13. Tell me about a challenging work situation and how you overcame it.
14. What are your expectations for this position?
15. What are your career goals?
16. Why should we hire you?
17. What did you like most about your last position?
18. What did you like least about your last position?
19. How do you handle stress?
20. What is your greatest accomplishment?

Learn how to answer these common job interview questions!

Examples Of Specific Behavioral Interview Questions

Learn more about answering behavioral interview questions by using the STAR interview technique.

1. In your opinion, what are the key skills a chemical engineer has to possess to perform their job effectively?
2. Can you explain what flow control is and how it’s used in a chemical engineering process?
3. Tell me about your biggest accomplishment in your career.
4. Which of your projects are you most proud of?
5. Tell me about a time when you improved a process. What impact did your suggestion have?
6. What experience or skills do you have that would make you a valuable addition to the team?
7. Which of your prior work experience will help you most in this position?
8. What is the first law of thermodynamics?
9. Describe a time you had to gather information from multiples sources. How did you determine which information was relevant?
10. What types of projects have you been involved in? How do they relate to the position?
11. Tell me about the types of process equipment you are most familiar with.
12. Describe your project management experience.
13. Tell us about your work experience working on ‘X’.
14. How would you build and design a pipeline from the mountains to the coast in California? Where would you place pumps, flow meters, reservoirs etc?
15. Tell me about your leadership experience and how you handle challenging situations.
16. What current trends or developments are you most excited about and why?
17. Tell me about a rewarding teamwork experience.
18. Give me an example of a project that you worked on that demonstrates your ability to manage time effectively. What challenges did you encounter, and what results did you get?
19. Tell me about a time you used your creative thinking skills to solve a problem.
20. What happens if you would change variable ‘X’ [on a simple drawn-out process flow diagram].
21. Describe your work ethic.
22. Tell me about a time you had difficulties getting along with a team member. How did you resolve the situation?
23. What is the most challenging problem you faced in your previous position? How did you overcome it?
24. Tell me about a time you took the lead on a project. How did you manage it to make sure all deadlines were met?
25. Tell me about a time you improved a process to make it more efficient.

Learn more about questions to ask the interviewer during your job interview.